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Communications Fellow (Summer)

Wayfarer Foundation
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COMMUNICATIONS FELLOW

Are you interested in a career in community organizing, advocacy, philanthropy, and/or social innovation? Are you ready to partner with and support multiple mission-driven organizations in Chicago and beyond? If yes, join the Wayfarer Foundation for a paid summer fellowship.

ABOUT WAYFARER FOUNDATION

Wayfarer Foundation partners with nonprofits to co-create a unified world where all people work together for peace, justice, and prosperity. Wayfarer launched in 2021 as a Bahá’í-inspired organization. Steve Sarowitz, a Bahá’í philanthropist, Founder and Chairman of Paylocity (Nasdaq: PCTY), Director of Payescape, and partner in Wayfarer Studios, started Wayfarer as the philanthropic engine for his spiritual giving. In 2023, Wayfarer awarded over $19 million in grants, and 78% of our partner organizations are BIPOC-led. For more information about us, check out wayfarerfoundation.org.

FELLOWSHIP DETAILS

We seek a Communications Fellow for the summer to serve alongside the Communications department and who will support the storytelling and brand curating activities of Wayfarer Foundation. The ideal candidate will be creative, experienced in employing innovative communication strategies, and excited to share the powerful stories of grassroots nonprofits in ways that honor their work.

  • Reports to: Senior Communications Manager
  • Position Details:
    • Manage social media planning and content creation to facilitate audience engagement and storytelling opportunities.
    • Create social media graphics and other digital and print materials as requested.
    • Write, edit, and proofread copy to ensure clarity, coherence, and brand consistency.
    • Collaborate with colleagues across WF departments, as well as outside vendors.
    • Apply learnings about Wayfarer Foundation's mission and objectives to communication projects to highlight Wayfarer’s spiritual and equitable approach to grantmaking and uplift our partners’ work.
    • Attend external events and professional development opportunities, representing the Foundation.
    • Attend regular team meetings in person or remotely on Wednesdays and other meetings and gatherings.
  • Other duties as assigned by Communications Department leadership.

FELLOWSHIP REQUIREMENTS

  • Be a current college student or 1 year removed from a completed degree program.
  • Commitment to and passion for Wayfarer’s mission: “We partner with nonprofits to co-create a unified world.”
  • Interest in community organizing, advocacy, philanthropy, and/or social innovation as a career.
  • Commitment to inclusivity and belonging as a lens for all your work.
  • Openness to exploring the spiritual dimensions of mission-driven work, especially Baháʼí-inspired practices.
  • Excellent and creative verbal and written communication skills in English, including copywriting and editing skills.
  • Willingness to be vulnerable, emotionally intelligent, and service-oriented.
  • Action-oriented, results-driven, and grounded mode of operating.
  • Flexibility and adaptability, as we strive to provide clear roles while navigating the process of being a new and quickly growing nonprofit.
  • Proficiency in and/or willingness to quickly learn WF tech platforms: Microsoft and Google apps, major social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, BlueSky, TikTok, Vimeo, YouTube, and others), Giving Data (grant management system), Slack, Airtable (project management system), etc.
  • Experience working with website and content management systems, such as WordPress, Squarespace, Meltwater, and GoDaddy and comfortable navigating and troubleshooting with these tools.
  • Demonstrated capacity with basic graphic design tools (e.g., Canva, Adobe Creative Cloud) experience a big plus.
  • Do I have to be a Baháʼí to apply?

Wayfarer Foundation is a Baháʼí-inspired philanthropic organization that aspires to align its work with the principles of the Baháʼí faith. Specifically, it centers its work on the oneness of humankind and recognizes that spiritual solutions are needed, along with material ones, for the betterment of humanity. While Wayfarer Foundation consults with relevant Baháʼí institutions, it is not funded or governed by Baháʼí institutions and welcomes partnerships with like-minded individuals and groups, including those from diverse faith traditions. We provide equal employment opportunities for all. We only ask you to come to the role with an open heart and mind and an interest in learning more about Baháʼí beliefs and the role the Baháʼí faith can play in creating social change. We also ask all team members to commit to upholding Wayfarer’s Baháʼí-inspired values:

  • Unity: Humanity is one, and diversity is our superpower.
  • Learning: A humble learning posture enables progress.
  • Justice: Trust and integrity require accountability.
  • Spirituality: Love and community fuel change.

WORKING AT WAYFARER

  • Logistics:
    • Compensation and Hours:
      • Undergraduate/graduate students - $22.60/hour, 20 hours/week
      • Doctoral students - $28.25/hour, 28 hours/week
      • Term: 10 weeks/June through mid-August
         
  • Benefits:
    • Hybrid organization
    • Skill building and professional growth opportunities
    • Increased professional network
       
  • Culture - You can expect:
    • The mindfulness of a house of worship: We engage in spiritual practices as a team, explore how spirituality can drive social change, and strive to treat one another with compassion and kindness.
    • The energy of a startup: As a new organization, we are in an organic learning mode and value risk, innovation, and experimentation.
    • The passion for justice of a grassroots nonprofit: We celebrate the gifts of diverse individuals, communities, and institutions. We also stand up for justice for those excluded because we know that together, without -isms, we can find solutions to our most pressing problems.
       
  • Where will I work?
    • We are a hybrid organization; we work 2-3 days at home and 2-3 days in our office in Wilmette, IL (easily accessible by the CTA purple line).
    • Wednesdays are preferred in-person days.
    • Light travel may be expected.

TO APPLY

Please submit:

  1. A brief cover letter. Please do not repeat what is written on your resume in your cover letter. Instead, tell us things your resume can’t tell us: what you are passionate about, your gifts, why you want to work with us, etc. In this letter, please also make sure to 1) affirm your openness to working in a spiritual environment informed by the Baháʼí faith and 2) discuss any experience you have in racial justice and/or working in BIPOC communities.
  2. A 1-2 page resume with two references listed.
     

Wayfarer Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse mix of candidates; your gifts and lived experience matter more to us than titles or numbers.